Assassin Wizard Spells

[Elric VIII]

I'm DMing a game that is meant to be high power. I have a player that wants to play a Swordsage-based assassin. To help him fit in with out Artificer, Druid, and Sorcerer I have given him some homebrew power-up.

He will have the following:

Wizard casting progression in the pattern of Fighter Bonus Feats (1, 2, 4, 6, etc).
Ability to cast in light armor.
Eidetic Spellcaster (so he prepares/learns spells like a Wizard, but doesn't have to worry about spellbook issues).
He may choose spells from the Wizard/Sorcerer and Assassin lists.


So, I come here asking for suggestions of spells that are (mostly) CL-independent and do not require saving throws to be useful. All WotC sources (including Dragon) are allowed.

Some that I can think of are:

Blink
Celerity
Dimension Hop
Invisibility
Persistent Blade
Sniper's Shot
Wraithstrike



Is there anything else along those lines that you could recommend?

I don't think he has a GitP account, but I will link him to this thread.

[Tavor]

The lazy option would be to allow spells from the Sor/Wiz/Asn list to be selected and treated as maneuvers (along the lines of the suggested adaption in ToB). CL should probably be equal to the Initiator Level.
Considering you want to push him up to the level of Artificer and Druid you might hand out them out additionally instead of a replacement.
The sorcerer might feel a bit shafted though, so be wary of that.

As for spells, in combat mobility is covered by maneuvers and I doubt he needs to be ashamed for the damage his character does.
So utility and ranged options:

Fly or Master Air for 3D movement, maneuvers don't cover this unfortunatly.
Moon Blade if you really want to push his damage output.
Arcane Turmoil to deal with buffed enemies (again, CL should be IL), can be replaced by Reaving Dispel at high levels ;)
Listening Lorecall. not on the lists you mentioned, but really nice synergy with the concept of a swordsage
Balancing Lorecall

[Elric VIII]

Well, I was thinking that this would make him a 2/3 caster in addition to initiating (he wouldn't lose maneuver progression for this). As maneuvers, they would begin to compete for space, since he will only have 4-7 at a time. Although I should probably make his CL = IL, that's a good idea.

Maybe instead of limiting him to lists I should limit him to schools/subschools on any list?

Just as a working list I would say:
Conjuration: Creation and Teleporting only.
Divination: non-scrying.
Evocation.
Illusion: Figment, Glamer, and Shadow.
Transmutation: non-polymorph.

[Elric VIII]

Can anyone else offer some suggestions for spells?
Or weigh in on list vs school restriction?

[ericgrau]

I'd give him a fixed spell list that forces him into thematic spells.

For example alarm (mental ping) is nifty for sneaking around, and that's abjuration. The level 2 str/dex/wis/int transmutation buffs (but not cha or con) are probably in. Etc.

[Randomguy]

Any spell that targets a weapon (even an attended weapon, like Backbitter) or makes you better with weapons by doing something other than changing your strength score should probably be fair game. You should also consider including the non-animal/nature themed spells on the ranger spell list.

This includes: Absorb weapon, backbitter, arrow mind, arrow of bone, arrow storm, blade storm, blade of pain and fear, blade thirst, blades of fire, bladeweave, brilliant blade, burning sword, claws of darkness, critical strike, golem strike, cursed blade, daggerspell stance, dolorous blow, exacting shot, fangs of the vampire king, flame dagger, guided shot, hurl, infernal wound, Master's touch, Nightstalkers transformation, snipers shot, sonic weapon, spectral weapon, weapon of energy, weapon of impact, weapon shift, whirling blade and wraithstrike.

Those are all from spell compedium.

[hex0]

Can anyone else offer some suggestions for spells?
Or weigh in on list vs school restriction?

I'd just use the Assassin list. It is pretty full. Then give them an Advanced Learning ability every odd level except the first to add any Wiz/Sor spell to their list up to 1 level lower then he can cast or ANY arcane spell from a list up to 2 levels lower he can cast. That way he can pick up Haste as a first level spell (from Trapsmith), later on.

[Slipperychicken]

I've heard of the Mindrape + Love's Pain combo. Mindrape a random person into being infatuated with the target, then Love's Pain the target to death from anywhere, no save, no nothing.

[Elric VIII]

Well, I want to give him more than the Assassin's list because I want his casting to be on par with a Bard, and Assassin only has up to level 4.

Coincidentally, I won't have to worry about Mindrape.

[hex0]

There is a PRC in dragon magazine that is basically what Sublime Chord is to Bard as it is to Assassin. Wait, that came out weird.

Basically it gives you levels 5-9 Assassin spells. Can't remember that name or issue, sorry.

But sticking to Necromancy, Transumation, and Enchantment lists only will give you the Assassin-esque spells for those spell levels.

[JohnDaBarr]

What if you give him the ability to cast touch spell's through his weapon similar to the ability of the Duskblade.

With access to spells that is the best way to use them.

[Lyndworm]

I know that it's not really what you asked for, but you might want to take a look at this (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=231125). It's an Assassin that gets better class features and better spellcasting, including limited access to the Sorcerer/Wizard spell list. It also has an ACF to trade spellcasting for maneuver advancement and Wisdom synergy, which might seem quite attractive to a Swordsage.